Never Look Back
by BlackBeauty613
Summary: If it never went anywhere, why am I feeling this way? Why am I so far away from the life I used to know? Gabby, where are you? Brie, where did you come from? NOT MY STORY! I'll explain at the bottom of the first chapter. Troyella.
1. Chapter 1

They really wanted me to tell everyone, especially Troy. They thought that if Troy new about my dancing he would be even more psyched to ask me out. Not that it happened anyways. After "Twinkle Towne" he did ask me out. Only twice though. I always thought that we would get together, get married, he would play basketball, and I would teach or something.

But life isn't always perfect. I learned that the day after our second date and the day that the whole school was telling me that he was going to ask me to be his girlfriend. I was just about to leave when Kelsi asked me to help her with some thing in the auditorium. I, being the good little girl that I am obliged willingly enough. When we got there, there were strange noises coming from backstage. We got to the dressing room where the noises where and my first thought when I looked in was that whoever it was, totally trashed the room, then I noticed the couple that were knocking everything around... WITH THEIR HIPS!

I mean these people were going AT IT!

I was about to ask them to calm themselves when I started noticing the familiarity of the male half of the twosome. Black and white addidas, dark jeans, red and white number 14 jersey, blonde hair, and the same blue-green eyes.

Troy.

Feeling my heart break I was going to just turn around and let them be, but why was I running? He wasn't my property, though the signs pointed to him asking me out, they were apparently all just rumors. So I lightly knocked on the side of the opened door until I got there attention.

"Umm, Ms. Darbus will be back here soon, you might want to clean up." What else was there to say?

Troy looked at me like he wasn't sure if I was there or not. I finally noticed the female half of the same twosome. It was some blonde cheerleader. I really didn't care who it was. She looked a little embarrassed if anything. I walked away as composed as possible. I think Troy might have tried to come after me. Or it could just be my imagination that wanted to believe it.

Things were awkward over the next couple of weeks. I didn't try to talk to Troy, and he never tried to talk to me directly. Chad told me a couple of times that Troy just didn't want to make me any angrier and really wanted to talk to me and have me in his life again. But those were probably just rumors and I was not going to listen to those anymore.

It didn't matter though. At the end of the year my dad was let out of rehab, and was granted custody. He lived in California so that meant I would be moving again.

I was sad to be leaving my friends, but the fact that I was getting away from Troy out weighed that sadness. My mom got me for holidays and any other time I had more than 3 days off from school.

The summer I left, Taylor, Chad, and Kelsi stayed two weeks with me in California. They met all of my new friends. Kelsi even almost hooked up with my friend Tyler. Chad, the goofy one back home, seemed sort of father like when he stayed with me. Every time we went out he'd have in dept conversations with the males of the group. Conversations, threats, which ever you prefer. But it was nice. My dad didn't take the time to meet anyone or even look after me. So that left a lot of free time to do whatever I wanted.

Pretty soon I had a routine going. During the week I would go to school and dance lessons. On Friday nights at 5:30 (or 12:30 if it was basketball season because of games) Chad would call and make me tell him everything I had done the previous weekend and school week, and I would make him do the same. I never noticed that he never mentioned Troy. Which I was grateful for. I had a new life now, no reason to bring bad blood into it. Yup. Everything was going great. Little did I know that my life was about to take a whole new direction. A direction where I could possibly stay forever and never be able to return back home.

* * *

**Wow! Just so you know, this isn't my story. I didn't write it. Someone else wrote it and didn't know how to post stories on fanfiction. So I posted it for her. Her name's theaterfreak. I'll give you the link to her page on my profile. So, yeah. THIS ISN'T MY STORY! Thnx! REVIEW!!!**

**Rachel :)**


	2. Chapter 2

The partying didn't start right away. It was a very gradual process, which started in the beginning of my junior year. The first of my rebellions started the night that I was staying with my friend Deanne. She would be having a party and I went to help her set up and she got me ready for my first California party.

It started off with her putting me in the most revealing outfit of my life. First she gave me a thong. I was okay with that no one was going to see it.

Wrong.

Next came the shortest pink skirt ever, which when I tried on I noticed that my nice little thong was completely hanging out (apparently this is cool). For my upper region she made me wear a matching bikini top with a wife beater that would have probably fit my three year old cousin. For the finishing touches she straightened my usually wavy hair, and put make-up on my pretty much untouched face. I mean being a dancer I had worn some pretty scandalous attires, but this had nothing on those.

When I looked in the mirror I didn't recognize myself at all. And to say it bluntly, I loved it. My days of being Miss. Perfect were over.

----

The party was only and hour or two in and I was already trashed. I had brought my camera along to make it a memorable night of the old Gabby, and the new beginning of Brie. I don't remember much from that night but I didn't have to because my camera pretty much caught all of it. After the pictures were developed, the first was of me and Deanne. I remembered that one being taken and that's it. The rest were of either a) me losing very badly at a drinking game. b) Me making out with over five different guys. c) all of my friends sitting in a circle where we were, as you can guess, getting high. or d) me showing my dance moves off, mostly of my grinding with one of the guys.

I was pretty scared when I got the pictures. I mean what happened to me?

That feeling didn't last long though because pretty soon, that was becoming my routine for the weekends. Every weekend something new came up, a different drug, a new guy, a new girl, a new game. It was all just one long party.

It wasn't even scary or shocking when I lost my virginity and didn't ever speak to the guy again, or when I did it again the next week and the next. But religiously I still talked to Chad. I left out most of the details. It would usually consist of me just saying I was going to a party. Pretty soon he wanted to know why I never talked about school, singing, or anything other than partying and the people I was with.

My excuse?

"Everything's easier out here, no need to bore you" and it was true. I was still passing with flying colors.

Nothing ever seemed to be changing in New Mexico though. Taylor and Chad still dated. Kelsi started dating Jason, Sharpay and Ryan were still freaks about theatre but apparently they were starting to mingle with different cliques. I loved talking to Chad. He was like my diary, and, in a way, I think I was his. Because I didn't talk to anyone else besides Chad, he knew that I wouldn't tell Taylor when he told me about him planning on telling her he loved her. And I knew he wouldn't be able to tell anyone when all I talked about was a new lust interest.

----

The week before my winter break, Chad told me about how my present would be there next Friday. I was ecstatic! I couldn't wait to see what I got. That Friday when I got home, there was no present and when I called Chad at exactly 5:30 he didn't answer. I didn't think anything of it and figured he took my advice and started going to parties.

So I got ready for the party that night. A nice tiny denim skirt that showed the pretty black and red glittery designs on my thong and miniature black halter top that stopped directly below my belly button just enough to show the thin line of diamonds from the ring in it. I straightened my hair as usual and did my make-up. I looked in my mirror almost not believing how much I had changed in the last 6 months or so. I grabbed my phone and headed out the door to the party.

At the party, as usual, I had my camera. I had taken my camera to every single party I had been to. It was some habit I had formed. I liked to be able to see what I did the night before with out it being too graphic. Almost routinely by about the second hour I was already drunk off my ass and higher than a kite. I met a mutual guy friend Brandon, (who happened to have blonde hair and blue-green eyes) and started making passes at him. By three we were on our way to my house. My dad would be asleep and even if he did wake up he wouldn't care. Hell I've had him throw condoms at me and the guys I'm with. After a half hour cab ride because I couldn't remember my address I finally got it right. We then stumbled into my humble abode laughing at nothing and kissing like crazy with me trying to get his shirt off fast.

We maneuvered our way into the already lit kitchen trying to get some pills to make the highs last longer. Just as I got his shirt off and grabbed the pill bottle, I heard a very familiar voice.

"What are you doing Gabby?!"

* * *

**Who are you and what are you doing in my house?! lol! Seriously, who do you think is in the house? REVIEW and find out! Thnx!**

**Rachel (and the author, theaterfreak. Don't forget about her :) )**


	3. Chapter 3

Chad.

I started coughing on the three caffeine pills currently lodged in my throat. Brandon hit my back to help.

"You, buddy, need to get the hell outta here." Chad said to Brandon. Brandon looked at my flushed face for approval. I nodded and started downing my vodka that was concealed in a Sierra Mist bottle. I got my fix, ran to Chad, and jumped on him. I hugged him like I had never had human contact before. It actually felt refreshing to be held by someone that truly cared about me not someone that just wanted an easy lay.

"What are you doing here?! Why didn't you call?!" When he sat me down, that was the first time I noticed the two other people standing in the room. It was Taylor and…Troy?

"Merry Christmas Gabby." Chad said disappointed. It was strange to be called Gabby again. I ran up to Taylor and hugged her too. It wasn't as comforting as Chad's was but it still felt nice. I didn't know what to say to Troy so I jumped up on the counter and took another swig of my "Sierra Mist".

My dad yelled down just as we were about to start talking again

"Brie, would you and your boy toy keep your drunken asses down?! Don't forget the protection is still in your room." He didn't even come downstairs.

"Umm... ok." I yelled back up.

"I can't believe you're here! I mean, why didn't you tell me you were coming? I wouldn't have gone partying so late tonight!" I said. I was so excited. Well, maybe it was just the pills talking now.

"We wanted to surprise you but apparently you've been pretty busy." Chad said with a father look on again.

"So why don't you tell us what's been going on with you?" he continued.

"You know everything that's going silly!" I said. Not looking directly at him. A sure tell sign that I was lying right out of my Puerto Rican ass.

"Right, and I'm Tony the tiger." He said.

"Well, that's cool, but I'm going to go get changed. This outfit is a killer after midnight. You want to come Taylor?" I said biologically inviting her with my female DNA.

"Yeah sure", she said, grabbing her bags.

Once we got upstairs I went directly for my pajama's which had changed as well, into, black shorts that were basically underwear and a black tank top that at least covered my entire upper body. Taylor looked around my room when she was finished and waited for me. She was looking in my drawers when she found the one with a scrapbook with every picture from every party I had ever been too. She looked at it for a sec and finally said.

"You should show this to Chad and Troy."

I knew she was right. I mean to tell you the truth, Chad was basically raising me over the phone. He deserved to know the truth about my life. Troy on the other hand, didn't need to know squat diddly about my life I thought, but maybe it'll show him he was right to kiss that girl and not get involved with a freak like me. I took the book down stairs there were well over 300 in it. I set them right in front of the two pajama clad boys and stated very boldly "Welcome to my life."

They saw every picture. Every guy I made out with, me doing every drug ever brought to the party, me drinking like a sponge, even me when I was sleeping in someone's basement with some guy, every do not disturb sign, everything.

For the first time Troy said something. "What happened to you Gabby."

"Why would you care." Lets all remember I was more trashed then the dump.

"Why wouldn't I? You were my best friend and my..." he stopped suddenly.

"No, honey see the thing is we were never friends, I was one of your trophies that you wanted but I wasn't much of one then. So, you found someone else." I said.

"I know how the world works now. All boys are the same. You'll say and do anything to get into bed with something. That's what you were doing in the dressing room that day. Back then I didn't know that though. But now I do so instead of fighting it like I used to I embrace it. I like having fun. I like letting the boys think they conquered something when really all they did was sleep with the slut down the street. The only one not like that is Chad. He cares about girls. If I ever met a boy that loved me as much as he loved Taylor I think I could die from happiness, but I can't so I'll take the next best thing. I'll take the guys that want my body as much he wants Taylor's. Sometimes you're so gone in your mind with all the drinks and drugs playing on your brain so it almost feels like they love me. But then the next morning I wake up and realize that it was only the drugs. No one would want something like me."

I was crying by then. It felt like one of my phone conversations with Chad but this time it was in real life and it was with the three people that I used to care about the most.

Chad had me in the tightest hug ever. Every time he hugged me I felt a little bit of the old Gabby trying to break through Brie and every boy, drug and drink that had entered my body. I didn't love Chad like he loved Taylor. I loved Chad like my father and best friend and like a piece of my soul. I don't know if I would have even made it through the last 6 months of my life without him.

"You are an amazing person Gabby. I don't know what happened while you were gone but we're here for you now I promise. Me, Taylor, and Troy."

----

It was a little past 6 a.m. now and I knew that I wouldn't be going to bed at all this weekend. So I cooked them breakfast and listened to what's been going on in their lives. It felt strange hearing Taylor and Troy's news directly from them and not through Chad. After we ate I decided I'd take them site seeing.

A little after noon, as I was circling for a good spot outside of a local cafe for lunch my phone started going off. I asked someone to answer it and Troy was the closest so he grabbed it first.

"Hello?" he answered.


	4. Chapter 4

…

"Umm this is a friend. Who's this?"  
…

I started pulling in to the closest spot and waited to grab the phone from Troy.

"Well, I don't know if... I'm not telling her that. You need to learn to respect wemen buddy!"

"I've known Gabby a lot longer than you people..."

I finally got fed up and grabbed the phone.

"Hello?"

Great.

Jared.

"Can I help you?" I asked trying to not show my fear.

"Are you coming tonight or not? We need some entertainment and all the other girls wont go unless you go." he said.

"I have friends from New Mexico here. Maybe when they leave" I said trying to be polite.

"Aww, really? Which friends?" he said knowing my history.

"Chad, Taylor, and Troy." I said trying to whisper their names. But unsuccessfully since their eyes widened at their names.

"Troy? The one you were all hung up on? The one that cheated on you?" he asked.

"Well, you can't technically say that since it never went anywhere." I said this praying that my phone wasn't so loud for them to hear. I was too embarrassed to look at them. I didn't like them seeing me being put down and told what to do. But that's what my life had become, I did what I was told and I was expected to do that.

"Well, I guess we'll see you tonight right?" he said.

This is when Chad grabbed the phone and put it on speaker before I could even protest.

"Look I have company I told you." I said trying to not yell at him.

"Just be here, and leave the All-American kids at home. Wouldn't want the cops to show up again."

"I'm not f-ing coming Jared get over it! Jesus! What would I do anyways? Sit around and drink and get high, and pleasure everyone? Hmmm? Is that what you need because I'm sure I can find you a whore that's willing to do that for cheap!"

"Why would we need one for cheap, when we can get you for free?"

Ohh... that stung. Bad. That shut me up pretty easily. But it was true wasn't it?

"Fine, I'll be there. But I'm bringing my friends and you'll just have to deal with that wont you?" I finished hanging up.

I leaned my head on the steering wheel trying not to cry again. When did I start crying when I was sober? I mean I know I cried when I was drunk sometimes. Everybody did. But what was there to cry about sober. Oh yeah. The fact that the only people in this world that new the smart shy and pretty Gabby, were now going to see the crazy, wild, sexy Brie. I was going to have to prepare them like Deanne prepared me.

"Gabby, we really don't have to go, including you. They don't own you." Troy said. He hadn't been talking much in the past 8 hours or so. Maybe I'm that bad that he can't even talk to me.

"Yeah, Gabbs, we'll go back to your house, pack, and leave early for your mom's." Taylor said. She was right. I would be leaving with them when they went back so I could spend Christmas with my mom.

Good offers, but there was no way I could get out of it now. Chad could see what was going on. I had told him about what happened and how I owed my life to them.

"Yes, they do..." I whispered to Troy earlier accusation. "They do own me. They saved my life and I can't turn my back on my family. We'll go but only for a few hours and only after I fill you in on what to do." I said this with determination, while getting out and heading for the restaurant.

FLASHBACK

During October, I had gotten pretty smashed one night and my body was too weak and tired to keep up with drugs that kept me up and running so I finally just collapsed one night. The only sober ones were Jared, Deanne, and some random guy, but they saved me that night I owed something to them for that. If they hadn't made me throw up every pill and made me eat something and go to bed, I'm sure I wouldn't have made it.

END FLASHBACK

After eating I took them back home and we just sat around and were lazy. It felt so good to not be at a party and instead be with people that really cared for me. I hadn't felt like that in so long and I didn't even realize how much I missed the old Gabby.

Chad and Taylor feigned needing a nap if they were going to a party at 9. So they went upstairs to cuddle. Well, that's all they better have been doing in my room. Thank you dad for reminding them that the condoms were in there.

That left Troy and me to sit and stare at each other. Well really I was laying on the couch and him on the floor watching TV.

"Gabby, I'm sorry" he said so suddenly I had forgotten that he was there.

"For what?" I asked, truly clueless.

"For kissing her, if I hadn't been so stupid you might have not wanted to move and stayed and you wouldn't be here so unhappy. You and I would probably have..." He stopped there. I knew what he meant though. I crawled on to the floor with him, pulling the blanket with me. Sue me. It was cold.

"Troy, you didn't do anything at all. You're right. You were a big reason I was happy to move but you weren't a big reason I started partying. To tell you the truth, I hardly thought about you. Only on super drunken nights which I'm sure you're going to hear stories about so be prepared." I said, smirking.

Troy gave me a hug and we just stayed like that. Troy hadn't so much as touched me for almost a year. And there we were. Lying in the middle of my living room snuggling. The old Gabby appeared for only a moment to find the humor in this situation.

"I can't believe how much you've changed Gabby. I mean, you used to be so shy and sweet and would blush if I even looked at you and here you are telling me about your parties and the guys you've been with." He said almost in disbelief. "I thought about you so much after you left and when Chad would update everyone on what was going on in your life it just about broke my heart to know that you were making so many friends and having such a good time." he said.

Wow. I was really hoping that he didn't look down and see my face that was so pink I looked like bubble gum. He may think he's right on some things, but he was so wrong when it came to me blushing.

"I think we should get the others up, I need to school you in Californian partying before we leave. And Taylor is so going to need help. Plus I have to change." I said unwillingly. Right here was perfect. We had reached a perfect understanding and there weren't any secrets. Plus, I was super comfortable in a pair of pajama pants left over by a one night stand and a Wildcats sweatshirt that I stole from Chad. Not to mention Troy having me in a sleeper hold.

I begrudgingly rolled over and ran up the stairs to get Taylor up. The guys were pretty much ready other than the few pointers I had for them.

"Taylor darling, we have get ready its almost 7!" I said sing-songly.

Before I did this though I snapped a picture of her and Chad completely wrapped up in each other. The innocent kind of wrapped though. That would be a cute present sometime in the future.

After I woke sleeping beauty, I showed her to the second bathroom where she could shower while I showered in my own shower after kicking Chad out to go entertain Troy.

I was already dressed when Taylor came in. My outfit for the night consisted of black swishy short skirt, with an emerald green tube top shirt that left a nice 3 inches of skin showing on my stomach. I had learned that your thong and top should always match. Kind of like bra and panties should, but I was skank so there was no need for a bra if the shirt had enough support. My shoes were regular flip-flops black, with small green flowers. Hey, whores had to match too.

I raided Taylor's clothes to see if I could salvage her anything to wear but all she had was jeans and simple tops. It made me a little sad to look through her clothes. I was jealous she didn't have to dress like me to get a guy like Chad's attention. No one expected her to look easy. She was able to look sweet and simple. Not showy like me.

"I guess you'll have to wear some of my clothes. We can't have you being kicked out and wandering around aimlessly till I'm allowed to leave." I said kind of excited to see how she would look.

Almost like Deja vu, I gave her the same clothing I was given at my first party. Well, I let her wear regular underwear, I know how it felt for the first couple of times, embarrassing and degrading. She didn't have to do it ever again for the rest of her life, so I was sure she could get away with it. I did, however, make her wear a small light blue skirt. It was even shorter on her than me, because of the height difference. For her top, I leant her a white halter top that criss-crossed in the back. To finish it off, I gave her a pair of white flip-flops, with a little heel.

She looked gorgeous in whore standards, but to the rest of the world, I knew what they would say.

Slut.

I straightened her hair and made her wear it down. I put very natural make-up on her with a lot of glitter to make her stand out. All that was left was to tell them the do's and don't's of partying.

"First off, you are going to meet very many people. All of them are going to try and get you to drink and do drugs. Do them at your own risk. I would prefer you don't so that we can just get out of there. Secondly, Chad, you will need to be with Taylor at all times. If she has to go to the bathroom you will sit outside of the bathroom till she's done. You," I said looking and pointing directly at Taylor, "will not ever wander off alone. You need to stay with Chad. Taylor, you are gorgeous to these people, and I know back home people would have called you a slut and stuff but here, guys are going to be all over you. Like I said, do NOT leave Chad's side. Next, do not leave you're drink alone. Not only boys put stuff in drinks. Moving on, you are going to hear MANY stories about my slut-capades. Please ignore them. I don't want to you guys to think less of myself. Try not to fight with anyone, it riles crowds up and the cops will show up faster. Is everything clear? Any questions?" I said.

Troy raised his hand. "Mom, how long are we going to be there?" he asked. I smiled while ignoring his sarcasm.

"Hopefully only an hour or so. But you can never really tell."

After that, we all grabbed our stuff and headed out the door, ready for one of the most interesting experience of our lives.

* * *

**(groans) Here we go. The gang heading off to a party. This should turn out REAL nice! lol! Seriously, keep reading! This story is awesome! Well, REVIEW!!! Thnx:)**

**Rachel (and theaterfreak)**


	5. Chapter 5

I didn't take my camera tonight. I wasn't so sure I was going to want to remember anything about it. I called a cab. I didn't plan on getting to off the handle, but it was better to be safe than sorry.

When we first got to the house that would probably be trashed by tomorrow, I was scooped up in a hug and lifted of the ground, I didn't worry about who it was. I would find out soon.

"PRINCESS BRIE! THERE WERE RUMORS OF YOU NOT RETURNING TO YOUR LOYAL FOLLOWERS! AND YOU BROUGHT NEW MEAT!"

Dale.

He had obviously been here for a while.

"Put me down fool! You're drunk and you're going to drop meeeee!" I squealed.

"Dale, this is Chad, Taylor, and Troy." There were a mixture of hey's and nice to meet you's before,

"No WAY! I thought you said that you were never going to speak to him again! Troy, man I've heard some stories about you dude. You messed up our little Brie here pretty bad." Dale said. Damn Drunks. He put his arm around my shoulders as if his drunken ass was going to protect me from the big bad Troy.

"We're going inside now. Do you need me to call you cab babe? You're already pretty trashed." I asked. We couldn't have him drinking and driving. That's a very bad thing to do.

"Nah! Girl, the party just started now that you're here!" he said following us in to the kitchen.

"I'm taking it easy tonight, Dale. Sorry." I said feeling very uncomfortable with the situation between dale and my friends.

As he walked away to announce my arrival, I grabbed 3 waters and a Sierra mist filled with raspberry vodka. What could a little hurt?

When I brought the drinks I noticed Jared and the guy that helped save me talking to Chad, Taylor, and Troy.

"Here" I said handing the drinks over.

"AHH, Brie! I was just explaining to your friends and Caleb here about why we are all so excited to have you at our little get together." he said with a rude smile.

Oh, shiz. That's not good. See, as you can guess I've been dancing since I was like 3, so when I'm drunk I have a tendency to dance with just about anything that has legs.

"Great." I mumbled.

"So maybe you and I could, umm, get our groove on tonight. Yeah?" asked Caleb as he snapped my thong strap. A sign that he super wanted me.

Before I could reply, Chad and Troy had him against the wall.

"What the hell dude?! You don't just do that to girls! How would you feel if we practically gave you a wedgie?!" Chad exclaimed. Troy had his hand around Caleb's throat. Jared was trying to pull them off of his friend.

"CHAD! TROY! STOP! It's Ok, it's just how things work! Chill!" I said going between the group of guys.

"Brie, I thought you'd leave the Beaver Cleaver twins at home. This is why you're different from them. You said it yourself." Jared said. "Oh, but we are glad you brought this little beauty with you, but I'm sure she's with curly cue over there. Come see me later if you want to see how it should really go down." he said looking Taylor up and down. She was so nervous about the almost fight that she hardly noticed.

"Jared just get lost. You wouldn't even mean anything to these people if it weren't for me." I said letting him remember how I brought him in to this party scene and if I tried I could take him out of it too.

"Just remember if it wasn't for me you wouldn't even be alive." he said knowing he won.

Ohh. Burn. He had me again.

He and Caleb walked away then. I showed the others around the house, until we got to one room where my name was yelled out.

"BRIE! BRIE! BRIE! They got some speed come on you know you it's your favorite and we haven't had any since last-" Deanne stopped when she noticed my friends.  
"Opps. I guess we could share if we have to..." she said looking disappointed.

"No, Deanne. None for us. I'm going easy tonight." I said mildly tipsy from the "Sierra Mist".

"No way!" she gasped. She then said. "Well, let's go dance! I know for a fact you haven't yet. The guys at the party haven't dropped everything they were doing to go watch you yet." Before I could protest I was drug down the stairs into the living room. I only could just make out Troy, Taylor, and Chad in the crowd. One dance wouldn't make a difference. After that we were gone.

Some song then came on. You could never really tell what is playing but you could feel the beat. I started going and me and Deanne started doing one of our slut dances grinding against each other knowing it was driving most of the guys insane. After a minute or two a circle had formed and only some of the brave guys would jump in and grind with us or do something original to try and impress us.

One of the guys happened to be Caleb, he was going pretty fast, and I could feel his umm... happiness. He was getting rougher and rougher, pretty soon he was practically taking my thong off with how hard he was holding on to it. After two or three of my protests, he was trying to get his hand up my shirt. If my friends hadn't been there I probably would have just let him. But they were there and they saw what was going on. Before I could even pull away from him, Troy had him on the floor with Chad jumping over Troy to get to him. I ran to find Dale. He was the biggest out of everyone and could more than likely get Troy and Chad off of Caleb. I found him downing another drink in the kitchen and steered him to the fight. He grabbed the two boys, I grabbed Taylor, and we went outside where I called a cab.

"Are you trying to get yourselves freaking killed?!" I screamed. I wasn't angry at all, I was scared.

"Didn't you realize, he could have had a gun or knife on him?!" I was pressing the two boys so hard against me I almost began to wonder if I was hurting them. I was so scared for them. What if Caleb did have a weapon? What would I have done without them? I felt like a mother trying to protect my family from something big and scary.  
I could feel them holding on to me too. Even though I'm a tiny 5'1 and they had to be somewhere around 6 feet I had pulled them down to my level and held on to their necks for dear life. "Guys, what he was doing, wasn't out of the ordinary. Hell, what was weird was me telling him to stop." I said trying to get them to calm down. Taylor was just standing in shock after I let them go went to her stood with our arms wrapped around each other for support.

"You just let guys treat you like that Gabby?" Troy asked.

"Do you have that little of self respect for yourself, little girl?" Chad asked.

"It's just how things work! If I didn't let him do that, it would then either be by force, I would get a reputation of being a prude or lesbian, or something else. This is the party scene and it was just for fun. It wouldn't have meant anything even if it did go any farther just a one night stand that I probably wouldn't remember. The cocky ones usually leave something to show there territory. Like shirts or pants. Anything really." I said trying to explain it. This is when the most unexpected thing happened. And I put extra emphasis on unexpected.

Troy came over to me picked me up and hugged and held me at the same time.  
"Never, ever, ever, again Gabby. Never. I won't ever let any other guy ever do that to you. I'll never let anyone call you a whore or slut or anything. I'm sorry for scaring you, but I'm not sorry for what I did, you deserve better than that."

He held me until we got in the cab, where he made me sit on him, and then he picked me up and carried me in the house where he only put me down so I could change. This time, though, I put on a pair of his pajama pants, and one of his sweatshirts with his name on it. When Taylor and I came back down stairs he once again, he picked me up and didn't put me down. I felt like a little kid again.

* * *

**Aww!!! So Troy _does_ care! lol! What'd you think? REVIEW!!! Thnx!**

**Rachel (and theatrefreak) :)**


	6. Chapter 6

After a second, I asked "Troy, you have really gotten stronger. Before I left you could only give people piggy back rides." I said, hoping to boost his ego.

"Yeah, before you left. I'm assuming you weighed more than at least a hundred pounds." he said. He was right. I had weighed about 120. Now I weighed barely over 90. I guess I hadn't noticed how little I was getting. That just goes to show, I didn't ever get the munchies. I was so drugged up half the time that I didn't ever feel the hunger.

I grabbed a bunch of junk food from the pantry, still clinging to Troy. We then proceeded to pile into the living room. Only then did Troy put me down so I could get a movie going. But when I came back and was planning on sitting next to him he, instead pulled me on him again. Apparently, he felt like if he was always holding me, no boys would try to get me. Taylor and Chad were curled up on the chair across from us. Before long, both the boys were asleep and Taylor and I moved to the floor with a blanket.

"Taylor, have you and Chad had sex yet?" I asked suddenly. I had been wondering for a while now.

She looked very surprised. "No, we want to be perfect when we do. Not just some random night." she said. I looked down ashamed.

Her eyes widened as she said "Oh, Gabby, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean it like that at all."

"No, its ok, I understand. If I hadn't already done it I would want the same thing." I said telling the truth. "Listen, Taylor, wait till it's absolutely perfect. Don't waste it like I did. It was the one thing that's ever really yours and the one thing that you never really get back." I told her trying to convince her to wait.

"Did any of them ever mean anything Gabby?" she asked.

"No." I said, for once actually feeling terrible about it. "I never stopped to think about how I felt. I always just liked how I felt wanted for one night. But I regret it now." I said.

After a moment of thinking she said abruptly. "Do you love Chad like a boyfriend?"

My eyes widened and I started laughing more than any high had ever made me. I mean, real tears were coming from my eyes and I was starting to snort. Soon, so was Taylor.

"NO!!! Not ever!" I said calming down some. "I mean, I do love him, but not like you do. I love him like a little kid loves their dad. Sometimes I wonder if maybe my subconscious knew that if I stopped talking to Chad, I would go crazy. He's a big reason I'm still living today. Like my soul only barely kept alive to talk to him every Friday night."

"So then do you love Troy?" she asked. I knew she had been wanting to ask forever.  
"I really don't know. I mean I love him like a friend for sure. But, I don't think he could ever really want to be with me. Not after what he's seen and heard now. I think that if he could ever really love me, I would do anything to hear it. And to be with him. So yes, I love him." There. I finally said it. I loved Troy Bolton, but I'm almost positive that he could never love me.

"Taylor?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks for still being my friend, and for sharing your boyfriend with me every Friday night. And for helping me pack." I said.

"What do you mean?" she asked confused.

"I'm coming home. My dad won't care and I like Gabby better than Brie any day of the week, and you are going to have to come help me pack if we want to leave by tomorrow morning." I said grinning.

"OH MY GOSH!! Yes! Let's go come on!!" she yelled as she drug me upstairs to my room.

Not once did the boys ever wake up. Not when we got tape all over each other or when we were throwing all of my stuff down the stairs to wait by the door. Or when we called my mom to come pick us up.

After all night of packing Taylor and I finally went to bed. We slept in my room not wanting to be there when the boys woke up. I set my alarm for 8. My mom said that she would be there around 10 so that left enough time for us to get ready wake the boys up, tell my dad, and call all of my friends and say goodbye. Not that it mattered because I was only going to call Dale and Deanne. They, after all, were the only real friends I ever made over there. And I wasn't going to let them go that easily.

* * *

**That's your present from me for being so (hopefully) good on the first day of school. Now as you know, since school is in, I won't be able to update as much as I used to. So there you go! Like it? Hate it? Tell me in your REVIEW!!! Thnx :)**

**Rachel :)**


	7. Chapter 7

Eight o'clock came way too early. I got up, showered, put on a pair of jeans, and stole another hoodie from one of Troy's bags. That boy didn't know what he was getting himself into when he offered me his clothes. They all smelled like him. A little bit like boy, mixed with outside and musk. As I looked at myself in the mirror, I realized how normal I looked. Like just another teenage girl. Not quite Miss. Perfect. And still not quite a whore. I wore a normal amount of make-up and left my hair down and wavy. I liked what looked back at me. By the time I was done, it was about 8:30 and Taylor was just getting up. I let her use my bathroom to get ready while I went downstairs and found my dad in the kitchen making breakfast.

"Your mom called. She said that you decided to move back." He said. He didn't sound hurt. I think he understood what I needed. If I stayed here, I was going to go crazy. I couldn't keep living my life like that.

"Yeah, but I'll come back here when I can. Or, you can come visit me." I said. I didn't quite trust myself to come back here to often.

"Of course I'll come visit you. I know we don't have much going for us right now, and I know that I wasn't a father to you. More like someone that was there to feed you and keep you quiet. But I swear I'm going to make it up to you. And I'm starting with breakfast." he said. And he meant it. I never knew my dad could cook. And to think I had been living off of take out and frozen pizzas for the past 6 months.

When he was done, Taylor had finished getting ready. We ate breakfast and decided now would be a good time to get the guys up. We walked into the living room to find them both on the floor. Troy had his arms wrapped around Chad's legs and Chad was talking about the "bunnies were coming for his feet" I _had_ to take a picture. It was too funny. I bent over Troy and whispered. "Troy, your dad says you're going to lose the game if you don't get up soon!" 

To which he replied "But momma, I'm comfortable! I'll win it later." he rolled away from me so I pinched his nose. I mean, he had to breathe sometime didn't he? That woke him up fast.

"Oh, you suck!" he said rubbing his eyes. 

"Come on, you have to go eat before you win the game." I said. It was already 9:30, and I was sure my mom wouldn't wait past 10:30.

Taylor had already gotten Chad up and in the kitchen just by mentioning pancakes.

As they ate I called Dale and Deanne. Dale was too hung over so I just left a message and Deanne promised to come visit me and she would be on her best behavior. It was almost 10:00 then so I finally decided to tell the guys. The deserved to know.

"So what are we going to do today Gabster?" Chad asked with syrup all over his face.

"Well, I don't know about you but I'm going home." I said with a grin.

Both males looked up at the exact same time and said "No way!" simultaneously.

I nodded.

"Gabby, your mom's here!" my dad called. 

"Come on lazy butts come help me put my stuff in the car. And when I mean me, I mean you go put it in there and me and Taylor will watch!" I said giggling.

"MOMMY!" I squealed when I saw her coming up the pathway. I ran out and hugged her. I hadn't seen her since before my accident.

"Gabby! You're so little! Didn't you're father feed you!?" She asked playfully. 

"Come on! I want to get out of here." I said.

By 10:30, all my things were in the car and we were on the road. We would be home around 7, so I had some time to kill. At around 2, Taylor and I fell asleep, me on Troy and Taylor on Chad.

Troy woke me up when my mom pulled in front of his house. He and Chad unloaded themselves and promised they would call me tomorrow. Taylor was going to stay the night at my house since she lived a little farther out of town.

When we got home the first thing I did was eat until my little heart was content. I hadn't had a home cooked dinner since Thanksgiving. And in 5 days it would be Christmas Eve. I ate for well over an hour and I didn't even care when Taylor made fun of me for it. We then went up to my room and started unpacking my things. Taylor put in a random CD she had made. After a while I couldn't help myself. I was singing to every song I knew. I hadn't sung in such along time. I almost forgot that I could sing at all.

Taylor even joined in and for 2 straight hours all we did was sing. It was so nice to be normal again. 


	8. Chapter 8

Finally at 11, we were done. I was so tired. To tell you the truth I hadn't slept for more than 6 hours straight in over 4 or 5 months. I crashed like you would never believe. The next day when I woke up Taylor wasn't in the room anymore. I looked at the clock and almost gasped when I saw it read 2:48. I slept for almost 15 hours straight!

I looked all over the house for Taylor, but instead found a note saying my mom had given her a ride home around noon and that my mom had to go to work. When I picked up my cell phone to call her, I had 23 messages from Troy and Chad alone! I called Taylor and told her I was awake so she didn't worry and when I began to dial Troy's number there was a knock. And there was Troy standing in my bedroom having walked in through my balcony door.

"Oh my God! Gabby! Are you ok?! No one could get a hold of you we thought you had left!" he said while running to me to pick me up again. What was with this kid and holding me? It was nice though. Like I knew I always had someone there for me.

"No, I just slept in... If you're not going to put me down the least you can do is carry me to the kitchen." I said grinning like a fool. I assumed he would put me down after that but he didn't. He just started walking down the stairs and set me on the counter.

"What would you like for... food? I guess it's too late for lunch and too early for dinner" He said a little confused.

"Spaghettios!" I said excitedly. I just recently found them in the bottom cabinet. 

He made me spagettios and sat in front of me on one of the kitchen stools watching me eat.

"Stop looking like you've never seen a person eat before." I said offering him one of my speghettio rings.

He accepted and ate it. At that moment, he said the last thing I ever expected him to say.

"I heard you talking to Taylor the other night."

That made my jaw fall open half chewed spaghettios and all. Troy Bolton heard that I said I loved him? That sneak! He was eavesdropping!

"Great, I'm sure you'll totally want to leave now and that's cool-" he cut me off before I could finish my sentence and said

"You're right; I would never want Brie in a million years."

Ouch. That hurt more than being called a whore.

"But I would take Gabby any day of the week, any hour of the day" he said smiling. I don't know if I could contain my excitement.

"I love you too, Gabby." he said with all seriousness.

Was I hearing correctly? Troy Bolton heard that I said I loved him? And he's saying he loves me back?

I swallowed my spaghettios and set the bowl down and looked at him.

"What haven't you ever seen someone looking at the person they love before?" he said smirking.

"Nope." I said. "I haven't. And you are so not off the hook for listening in on girl talk." I said grinning.

"Oh really? Guess I'll have to make it up to you wont I?" he said.

"Maybe, but for now lets watch a movie. You boys bore me." I said giggling.

I jumped off the counter and started walking to the closet for a blanket. Before I got two steps away I was already being picked up again. 

"Am I ever going to get to walk again?"

"Maybe, maybe not. What do you need?" he asked.

"Blankie" I said pouting.

"K, which one?" 

"Red one." I was pointing to the red one with the Wildcats emblem on it.

"Good choice little girl" he carried me over to the couch after I put in a movie. We covered up and snuggled. I felt more at peace than I ever had before.

Halfway through the movie, Troy had fallen asleep. What was with him and sleeping during movies? This just would not do.

I leaned forward and was planning on waking him up when he pulled my head towards his and kissed me so fast I wasn't sure it happened.

"Gotch'ya" he said grinning. 

"Dirty." I mumbled.

A few minutes later when he was actually watching the movie I kissed him back. I think he may have been expecting it. Because he kissed me back. But this was the most different kiss I have ever had. There was not one trace of alcohol, no lingering smell of smoke, and there wasn't one spec of lust. Only love and passion.

It was the best kiss of my life. 

"Troy" I said pulling away. "What are we?" I wasn't sure anymore.

"Well, you, you are the girl that I love, and I am hopefully the boy you love." he said in all seriousness.

"Durrrrrr, I knew that! But I mean are we dating or are we just love buddies?" I laughed at how dumb that sounded.

"Love buddies." he said, looking me right in the eye.

I looked down so he wouldn't see the hurt look on my face.

"I don't know why you even had to ask. Gabriella Montez, will you please by my girlfriend until the rest of out lives? Or until I get enough guts to ask you to marry me?" He said still looking me in the eye.

I looked at him for a minute making him worry.

"Are you sure you want to be with... me? You're not going to regret it every time you kiss me and think about every other guy that's done that are you?"

"I have never been so sure about anything in my entire life. And I'll just have to remind myself that no guy besides me will ever have the pleasure of kissing you again."

I couldn't help but smile at this.

"Then yes Troy Bolton. I, Gabriella Montez, will be your girlfriend for the rest of our lives, or until you get the guts to ask me to marry you."

At that he kissed me again. I still couldn't get over how perfect they were. What had I been thinking before when I actually enjoyed the kisses from other guys? None of them compared to this feeling of contentment. That day felt like the other day when we were just laying there in perfect harmony, no secrets, nothing, comfortable and warm. That's the way it always should be I thought.


	9. Chapter 9

For Christmas Eve, I went over to Troy's house for dinner. His dad apologized for the last time we met and told me I was invited over whenever I wanted. His mother was extremely nice too. They opened presents on Christmas morning unlike myself who opened on Christmas Eve. So after dinner Troy and I were outside waiting for my mom to come pick me up. He handed me a medium sized box. It was pretty heavy. I unwrapped the present and found two cans of Spaghettios, a Sierra Mist that had a sticky note that said, "The real stuff" and one of his hoodies that didn't fit him anymore. They were thoughtful presents and were super funny. I didn't think that he ever new about the Sierra Mist.

"I hope you know this doesn't mean you're getting your other sweatshirts back." I laughed.

"I didn't think so. But where is MY present?" he asked getting impatient.

"Isn't this season all about giving, not receiving?" I said knowing it annoyed him.

"Fine, then I want your present back." he said smirking.

"Indian gift giver." I mumbled pulling out his present.

He opened it and started laughing uncontrollably when he saw the picture of him and Chad entangled on the floor. Then he saw the small key chain at the bottom of the bag on one side of it was a picture of him and me before I moved, on the other side, engraved in swirly letters was, "Troy + Gabby". Then closer to the bottom it said "Never Brie".

"It's perfect Gabby."

We stood hugging for a minute before he picked me up... again.

"Goodness boy, you're going to spoil me." I said

I kissed his cheek and he acted like he was going to kiss mine but then he darted to left and got me smack dab on the lips. It was still perfect. It always would be for as long as I lived.

"Have I made it up to you yet?" he asked

"You're close but no cigar." I said winking.

My mom drove up then and Troy carried me to the car, much to my protests.

"Troy, you're going to spoil her and then she's going to expect me to carry her all around the house when you're not there!" she said laughing.

It's true. He rarely ever put me down, even at home in front of my mom. It wasn't even embarrassing for him. He was over so much.

He set me down and he told me to call him tomorrow.

When we got home I unwrapped presents and my mom unwrapped hers. She told me how my dad was coming tomorrow with three guests. She then told me how she had invited a man friend of hers over for tomorrow as well.

"Man friend my butt! You so have a boyfriend mommy!" I teased.

"It doesn't matter what he is, you still have to clean the two guest rooms, one of them will be sleeping with you, one gets their own room, and your dad and the other guest are sharing. Then go to bed otherwise you'll sleep the entire day away tomorrow." she ordered, even though I knew that all I had to was vacuum and I was done.

I did as I was told and was soon snoozing on the couch. The next morning, I was awaken by loud screams filling the house.

"BRIEEE!!" two voiced shouted. Of course. One was Deanne and the other was Dale.

"AHH, What time is it?!" I asked, irritated.

"A little after 10," Dale answered. I had rarely seen Dale sober, but when he was he was, like a big ol' teddy bear.

"I can't believe you guys are here! Where's my dad and the third mystery guest?!" I asked getting off the couch.

"Kitchen" Deanne said.

I ran in the kitchen and jumped on my dad.

"Daddy! Eeek! Are you going to cook us breakfast?!" I said, I was so excited almost everyone I loved was here. Except for the obvious.

"Yes I will, but first I want you to meet my uhh... lady friend..." he said coughing.

"Your girlfriend you mean." I corrected.

"Uh, yeah. Brie, this is Roxanna." He said motioning to the tall slender red head sitting across from him.

"Hello, how are you? I can't believe you let my dad drag you all the way out here on Christmas." I said.

"Oh, know I had to me the famous Brie." she said.

"Umm, yeah you can call me Gabby though." I said. Yeah, the only people that were getting away with that name were my dad, Deanne, and Dale.

We then proceeded with Breakfast.

"Geez Mr. Montez, if I had known you cooked like this I would have crashed at your place more often." Deanne said. It was true. If I had known he cooked like that I would have crashed at my place more often too.

Roxanna told me about her three children that were with their father. She had a 17 year old son named James, a 14 year old son named Jeffrey and an 11 year old daughter named Jessa. She seemed very nice and genuine. I was glad my dad found someone and wasn't moping around all day. Dale, Deanne and I went and got ready after breakfast. I leant Deanne some normal clothes to wear. By the time we were ready to do anything I had 4 messages, one from Troy, Chad, Taylor, and my grandparents.

We all opened any present that were left. Around three, Mom's boyfriend came over. His name was Mike and they had actually been dating for over 4 months and didn't even tell me. He was average looking, tall, medium build, blonde hair blue eyes. He seemed nice if not a little shy. He only had two kids, an 11 year old daughter too, named Sadie, and an 8 year old son named Sam they were with their deceased mother's parents. He said he wanted to bring them but their grandparents want them on Christmas.

It was a great day. Though kind of strange to see my parents in the same house with there boyfriend and girlfriend. While the adults talked Deanne, Dale and were watching a movie in my room. Well, Dale had gone to get refreshments.

"So Deanie darling! What's been going on in the last 5 days that I have been gone?" I asked, not really expecting a deep answer. Deanne wasn't much of a talker, more of a do-err? No pun intended.

"Oh my gosh, I don't get it! Am I only wanted when I'm drunk?" She exclaimed.

"Huh?" What the f was she talking about?

"Since you left, Dale and I promised each other we were going to stop partying cold turkey. I've really gotten to know the sober Dale and really really like him. I've been throwing signals left and right but he hasn't picked any of them up!" She explained.

"Oh... well do you think he likes you back?" I wasn't really sure how to handle the emotional Deanne.

Enter Dale. Great timing pal.

"Hey hotties, what were you talking about?" Dale said barging in. But with food, that was the only reason he was forgiven.

I saw Deanne mildly shrink back when he walked into the room. He grabbed the remote from me and pressed play.

"Hey! What if I wasn't ready to watch that yet?" I said picking on him.

"I guess it's kind of funny that I don't care." He retorted. I rolled off the bed ready to attack but he beat me to it.  
I didn't even see it coming. He grabbed me, flipped me on the bed, sat on me, and grabbed a coke.

"UNFAIR ADVANTAGE! YOU WEIGH MORE THAN ME!" I yelled.

"Was that a fat joke Brie?!" He gasped with fake hurt.

First of all before you think I'm some sort of monster Dale is in no way shape or form fat. He was large however. He was a football star in California, so you know the dude had some muscles. He was about 6'2 mostly muscle, dark brown hair, cut pretty close to his head, brown eyes, he actually sort of looked like he had some Latino in him.

"You just wait big boy! I'm going to get you!" I warned, eyeing how close his side was to me, a prime ticklish spot I might say.

"Shut up little girl and eat something!" He said shoving popcorn in my face.

"Hey! Deanne, help me! Attack! Attack!" I yelled while tickled his sides.

He was relentless though. He didn't even budge. Deanne, however, took that opportune moment to jump on him... and me.

"My lungs. I think one just fell off." I croaked.

"Umm... is there any reason you're sitting on my girlfriend." a voice said from the doorway.

Troy.

Yay! Air!

"Oh hey bro! How's it going? You need to fatten this girl up I think I feel her spine against my tailbone." Dale said.

"Shouldn't that be a sign to get off?" Troy said. Was this... jealousy? Mhh serves you right! Kiss that girl again. Hah, I amuse myself.

"Now Brie, are you going to try and control the people that are bigger than you?"

I shook my head.

"Are you going to watch the movie like a good little girl"

A nod.

"Are you ever going to get me and Deanie together? I have yet to get the courage to do it." he said.

Deanne turned redder than the sauce on the pizza she was eating. I just started coughing.

Dale started tickling my feet.

"YES!! YESS!! I WILL I PROMISE! STOP!" I screamed and giggled.

After my agreement I was released and I sat up on my bed.

"Miller! There is popcorn in my hair! You just remember I know where you're sleeping tonight." I stated.

"Crap! I forgot your present. It's in your bags Dale." Deanne said. I wonder if she knows she already gave it to me.

"Oh, uhh, I'll come with you to get it." he said more than willing.

"Are they so not perfect for each other?" I asked the silent Troy.

* * *

**And that's all she gave me. So for now, that's the end. Abrupt, isn't it? lol! Seriouly, I'll post the rest when she has it. Ok? Ok! Thnx for reading and reviewing! Luv ya! And theatrefreak thnx you! Bye for now:)**

**Rachel and theatrefreak :)**


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